Ramon Tapia is a Belgian (Dutch-born) DJ and producer from Terneuzen, Belgium. He also uses the alias El Carlitto and is associated with the projects Monastic, Fort Knoxx and Coconut Grooves.

Background

He is born in 1979 and grows up with a Dutch mother and a Chilean father, a musician who leaves Chile after opposing the military regime there. Tapia later moves to Antwerp, where he begins buying vinyl and DJing after becoming interested in electronic music there.

Before focusing fully on music, he works in a record shop while studying to become a goldsmith. He also spends part of his early career as a jeweller behind the counter of that shop.

Style and influences

Tapia works in tech house, minimal, techno and minimal techno, and he describes his sound as drawing on electro, house, minimal and other forms of electronic music. His references also include old-school rap, Ice-T, N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, Boards of Canada and Latin American folk music. Earlier influences mentioned in his development include Front 242, Frank De Wulf, Kraftwerk, A Split Second, Tyree Cooper and Kevin Saunderson. He also says he has a background in gabba and a wide musical taste shaped by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.

His productions place emphasis on structural build-ups, breakdowns and harmonies over driving beats, and he links his musical outlook to his Latin background and Dutch upbringing.

Releases and remixes

Tapia releases records on labels including Great Stuff, Turbo Rec, Abe Duque Rec, Monique Musique, Herzblut, Yellow Tail and Strictly Rhythm. He also records under the name El Carlitto.

He remixes Marco Resmann, Marc Miroir, Butch, Funk Dvoid, Martin Eyerer and Mauro Picotto.

Approach

Tapia says he starts making music to feel more connected to it, and that he values making people move and smile through his tracks and DJ sets. He presents his work as something he builds himself after finding that the ideas in his head were not being realised by others.